Sera winced as the heavy door to her chambers was slammed shut behind her. She could hear a chain being dragged though the handle of the door and being locked into place to keep it shut. Sera picked up a green glass bottle of perfume and hurled it at the wall. It shattered into a thousand green hued pieces and the fragrance bloomed through the air, strong and smelling of lilacs.
She picked up a red bottle and drew her arm back to throw it when the sound of the chain being unlocked and drawn back through the door caused her to pause. Sera set down the bottle, then hastily sat at the vanity and began nonchalantly brushing her hair.
The door opened in to her chamber and her father stood framed by the threshold and flanked by his own guards dressed in green and black.
Sera's anger flashed in her eyes as she jumped to her feet and opened her mouth to speak, but her father wordlessly held up his hand and raised a finger to his lips. She clamped her full lips together so hard they started to pale. Her father turned and addressed the men he was with.
"Inform me the minute the Kings Guard has left my home and ready the Rangers for when they step outside my lands."
The two men bowed stiffly and marched off down the dimly lit hall. Lord Byron stepped in his daughters chambers and softly closed the door. Turning to face her, "Just wait Sera. Wait."
Sera read something deadly about him as he paced back and forth in her chambers, hands clasped behind his back.
A few minutes later, a knock at the door. A voice from the other side came through, "They have taken their leave, Lord Beaufort. The Rangers are in position as well."
"Thank you. Wait for me in my study."
"My Lord." The footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Lord Byron turned to face his daughter. "I would have thought that you could read my hints by now."
"Hints?"
"Yes, like when you see me arrive surrounded by the Kings Guard and I specifically warned you to watch your words. They were assuredly listening in the hall the whole time."
"Oh." Sera's anger melted away into nothing.
"Your friends are their prisoners and are going to be hung in the capital city. I have the Rangers disguised as a marauder band to attack the convoy, and hopefully they will be free here shortly."
"So, you are helping us?"
"I'm helping you Sera. It's only a matter of time before you are called to answer for what you said, for what you suggested. Now they also know that Kailynn exists and is at Lord Tamien's estate. The King will most certainly kill her. Or, if she is lucky, he will imprison her for the rest of her very short life."
Sera sank back down into the cushioned seat at the vanity, "I did this. I got Annie and Geoffrey killed, and now Kailynn might be next."
"Maybe," Her father mused as he paced back and forth studying his ring that bore the family crest. "Unless you get her back. You have to leave here Sera, before you are called for by the King. There are other more sympathetic Kings and Lords on this isle. Those whose houses were also Loyalist. If you can get her and get to one of them, you both might have a chance at staying alive."
"What about you? Won't they know you helped me? Or helped Alac and The Bard?"
"They will suspect of course, but the spies in the Royal Guard will testify to my anger and disappointment. You grew up in this house, you knew how to escape."
"So do you have any suggestions on what Kings or Lords might be willing to take us or hear us?"
"I will not give you any names or directions. If the King decides to use torture to get me to confess, I want to know nothing."
Sera's breath hitched at the thought of her father at the hands of the torturers of the King. "Couldn't you come with us?"
Lord Byron smiled sadly, "I have my part to play here yet." He reached out and gripped Sera's shoulders, "Stay alive Sera. If you have to choose between staying alive and this girl, choose you. I wouldn't trade you for a thousand princesses or some title of old. If she is in fact the last Princess of the Ash King's line, then the fight is only just starting."
"We will need allies."
"If the Rangers have done their job, your friends will be waiting for you just over the stone bridge. That's a start."
Sera smiled faintly and reached up to grasp her father's hands. "It's a fight we can win father. A fight we must win."
"Let's hope for your success then." He stroked a wisp of her hair away from her face. "This is where I leave and you escape."
"Until we see each other again?"
"Until then."
❧
The horse tore out of the stable into the downpour at a full gallop nearly knocking down the two sentries posted at the house gate of the Beaufort estate. The rider didn't even look back as they disappeared into the heavy rain. The horse's hooves pounded and squished through the mud throwing clods far and away behind him. Sera sat astride him dressed in black leather rangers pants and boots, a low cut heavy leather jerkin with the addition of an oiled cloak to keep off the rain. Not that it was helping much as it flowed behind her while the horse ran at full speed for the stone bridge that Sera knew lay in the distance. She wore a dagger on her left hip and a bow with a quiver of arrows was strung across her back. Having grown up on an estate with little to do than persuade the sergeant at arms to train her, she had become quite proficient with them.
She had never known her mother. She had died from the fever that had swept the isle twenty years ago when Sera was very young. From what little her father spoke of her, he had clearly loved her very much and her sudden death had wounded him deeply. Sera wondered if her mother would have approved of this attempt to rebuild the family name as much as her father reluctantly had.
As she neared the bridge enough to see through the rain, her stomach dropped. There were bodies lying on the grass on the other side of the bridge, with no visible House markings or crests. She slowed the horse to a walk as she twisted in the saddle to see if there was any pursuers or a trap being sprung.
Slowly the horse walked over the bridge. At the top, Sera could see the outline of the little town in the distance. Her gaze dropped to the ground waiting for the other side of the bridge to come into view. The edge of the bridge was visible now and Sera could see the carriage wheels on one side had been snapped clean through as if by a large heavy axe. The bodies were still as the rain washed the blood down throug the mud and into the storm swollen torrent that roared under the bridge.
Arrows were everywhere. Sera dismounted and walked over to the nearest body that lay face down in the grass. She prodded it with her foot, "Hello? Are you alive?"
No answer. Getting down on her knees next to the body, she grunted with effort as she strained to lift its shoulder to roll it over. The body flopped over onto its back and Sera studied the young man's face. His eyes were open, glassy and didn't blink when the rain drops fell on them. His face was peaceful. It had been quick for him with an arrow right through the heart. Sera heard a cracking noise from behind her as someone stalked toward her back. Drawing her dagger, she spun to her feet and crouched into a fighting stance.
"Don't kill me! I have so much to live for!" a light jovial voice flowed out from under the deep hood. "Easy there killer."
Sera sheathed the dagger and threw herself onto the hooded man pulling his hood back as she smothered his face with her kisses. Taken off guard, The Bard stumbled back and then fell flat on his back into the mud with Sera landing on top of him. She straddled him and peered into his eyes as her wet hair fell around their faces like a curtain. "I thought you were dead."
The Bard pulled her down onto his chest and wrapped his arms around her as the rain soaked them both. "Love like ours can't be killed Sera, only delayed."